Solutions that don’t break the bank, reinvent the wheel or marginalize our teachers are within our grasp. We could have rigorous classes, safe and disciplined schools and treat teachers like valued colleagues rather than easily replaceable cogs, and we could do so tomorrow if we wanted. Disclaimer, this is an opinion and commentary site and should not be confused as a news site. Also know that quite often people may disagree with the opinions posted.

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Sunday, August 14, 2016

Vitti shows a lack of empathy for parents

Vitti has lost me and I can point to two instances.

The first is when dozens of teachers left First Coast high school because they were being victimized by the principal at the time Al Brennan, the parents likewise revolted saying they wanted a change and even the school trade dropped form an A to a C under his watch and the superintendent said, Brennan is one of the district's best and he isn't going anywhere.

The second instance was at a community meeting where grand parents raising their grand child said they were unable to hep their grand daughter with the new math curriculum and finally they hired a tutor to help her. The super said, great you hired a tutor and you can call the math hotline when it is up and running.

WHAT!?! I thought what about all the parents who couldn't afford to hire a tutor and who didn't know about the math hotline (which had tons of problems) what about them and the others who were trusting the district to teach our children, he was like shoulder shrug, yawn.

Ugh, well in the paper just Friday Vitti once again showed his complete lack of empathy for the districts parents.

From the Times Union:

Vitti said Duval had already given those parents a choice of schools.

But state officials said he had put the cart before the horse, and he still had to send letters to parents letting them know that officially their students were assigned to higher-rated schools.

Vitti sent those letters out last week, he said.

Then, on Thursday, Vitti sent more letters to parents of 265 first- and second-graders living near R.L. Brown and S.P. Livingston elementary schools. They should receive those letters over the weekend.

The letters said the students for R.L. Brown are assigned to Lone Star Elementary, a B school, and Livingston students are assigned to Reynolds Lane Elementary, a C school.

Several Duval Board members said the letters are confusing for many parents.

Board member Paula Wright said Vitti should have involved the board long before now; School Board members could have helped him get out the word and explain things.

“To me it has really placed this Board in a position to give the appearance that we’re clueless, we’re unprepared,” Wright said, “and that we are not providing any planning and guidance (to) make certain we’re respectful of our community.”

Board chairwoman Ashley Smith Juarez noted that the letters do not include any bus information and don’t list the addresses of the assigned schools. She said she worries many parents, some who don’t have cars, will show up at the wrong school or put their child on the wrong bus.

“I’m very, very concerned about the 6- and 7-year-old children in those neighborhoods,” she said. “Give me some assurance that these children will arrive and will be accounted for at their schools, that there is some system in place to keep track of their attendance.”

Vitti said that parents aren’t receiving the letters “in a vacuum,” they’re also being telephoned. Some principals are skilled at outreach in these mostly high-poverty communities, he said.

He added that many parents had received similar letters earlier.

“There’s no question, we’ll have some parents that are confused on the first day of school, but that already happens,” Vitti said.

1 comment:

He rezoned the schools because they were underutilized---presumably because they were failing. Now some of these same schools are even more underutilized than they were last year & Vitti tells us we need to be patient. That it's going to take a while for the parents to buy in. Where was this patience last year when he steamrolled his agenda thru the school board? I guess you can have it both ways.